Airtel Africa Partners SpaceX to provide Starlink’s Service in Nigeria, 13 Other Countries
- Airtel Africa has partnered with SpaceX to roll out Starlink direct-to-cell satellite services to customers across the 14 countries in which it operates
- The service is expected to start in 2026 with text messaging and data for selected applications, allowing compatible smartphones to connect in areas without terrestrial network coverage
- Airtel Africa says the deal supports its goal of bridging the digital divide and expanding reliable connectivity across Africa
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Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Airtel Africa has announced a partnership with SpaceX to introduce Starlink’s direct-to-cell satellite connectivity across all 14 countries where the telecoms company operates.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Airtel Africa said the satellite-to-mobile service is expected to begin in 2026, starting with data services for selected applications and text messaging.
According to the company, the partnership will allow Airtel Africa customers with compatible smartphones to access mobile network services in areas without terrestrial coverage, using Starlink’s satellite technology.
Source: Getty Images
Airtel Africa explained that the agreement also supports Starlink’s first broadband direct-to-cell system, which will rely on next-generation satellites designed to deliver significantly improved data speeds to smartphones.
Roll out subject to regulatory approval
Meanwhile, the company noted that the rollout will be subject to regulatory approvals before deployment in each country.
It added that Airtel Africa will become the first mobile network operator on the continent to offer Starlink Direct-to-Cell services, supported by a satellite constellation of about 650 satellites aimed at improving connectivity in remote locations.
Commenting on the development, Airtel Africa’s managing director and chief executive officer, Sunil Taldar said the collaboration aligns with the company’s focus on expanding access to reliable mobile services.
Taldar said Starlink’s direct-to-cell technology would complement Airtel Africa’s existing terrestrial infrastructure, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where building traditional networks is challenging.
He added that the partnership would help set a new benchmark for service availability across Airtel Africa’s markets.
On her part, Starlink’s vice-president for sales, Stephanie Bednarek said the partnership would help extend connectivity to locations that have remained outside the reach of conventional mobile networks.
Bednarek said the collaboration would also enable the deployment of Starlink’s next-generation technology to provide high-speed broadband connectivity, improving access to essential digital services.
Airtel Africa said the agreement underscores its commitment to bridging the digital divide and added that it will continue to explore further collaboration opportunities with Starlink to advance digital inclusion across Africa.
Recall that Airtel Africa earlier partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide high-speed internet services in Africa, a deal that allowed Airtel to leverage Starlink’s satellite services to provide connectivity in rural areas.
Starlink became Nigeria’s second-largest internet service provider (ISP) in two years and operates in about 20 African countries.
Source: Getty Images
Airtel, others face tough competition
Legit.ng earlier reported that companies dealing in Starlink products may be facing tough competition due to the Elon Musk-owned company's expansion and offerings like Konga's July limited-time 30-day promotion on the Starlink Gen 2 kit, priced at N467,995, a significant discount from its regular price of N590,000.
The offer aims to provide reliable, high-speed internet access to individuals and businesses across Nigeria, enhancing digital experiences.
The promotion follows Starlink's expansion plans to improve bandwidth capacity and service availability in key cities like Lagos and Abuja.
Source: Legit.ng
